[Stage I seminoma: therapeutic strategy: surveillance, radiotherapy, chemotherapy. A case-report]

The management guide-lines about stage I seminoma (pT1 à pT4, No, Mo) recommend to perform a surveillance, an adjuvant chemotherapy based on carboplatine, or a radiotherapy. However, these options are not equivalent for side effects and relapse risk. Debates are in progress in order to simplify the surveillance protocols which remain essential because of the tumoral relapses for 15% of the patients. The occurrence of a tumoral relapse during the follow-up does not decrease the specific survival. The para-aortic 20 Gy radiotherapy is efficient on the seminoma and decreases the relapse risk. Its main side-effect is a long-term risk of secondary cancer. Carboplatine chemotherapy is also an efficient option which provides good results on the specific survival and the survival without progression. Very few studies assess the long-term side effects of chemotherapy. In the end, the therapeutic decision must be taken with the patient after informing him about all the therapeutic options.